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Cold wind blew through the trees, rustling branches and stinging Michael’s cheeks. Leaves fluttered into the air, spinning wildly, obscuring his vision further. He waited, phone in hand, keeping his eyes on his surroundings.
The phone vibrated again.
Right now, who is hunter, and who is prey?
Michael frowned.
“What does that mean?” said Tyler.
Michael looked up—and saw a red laser dot flicker across a tree trunk to land on Tyler’s forehead.
He shoved Tyler to the ground before he’d even thought about what it meant. A bullet cracked into the tree behind them.
“Move!” shouted Michael.
But Tyler was already moving, digging his feet into the underbrush to run. Michael was right behind him.
A loud crack split the air. Then another. Michael thought of gunshots or lightning—but then he felt the power through the ground.
Two trees fell in their path, bringing down smaller saplings as they fell. Michael and Tyler skidded to a stop.
The gun fired again. Another bullet took out half the trunk of a sapling just to Michael’s right. Another bullet, even closer—Michael felt a burn and flare along the outside of his arm. He swore and jerked back.
“Jesus,” said Tyler. “Where is he?”
“I don’t know yet.” Michael’s power flared, almost against his will. Undergrowth thickened between his feet, growing along the tree branches, building a wall to hide them.
“Handy,” said Tyler.
Wind, ice cold, blasted between the branches, stinging his eyes and tasting of winter. For an instant, Michael couldn’t see anything.
Then he heard the crack and split of another tree trunk.
Michael barely had time to drag Tyler out of the way before it crashed through their hideout. His heart slammed against his ribcage. He hadn’t even felt that tree pull loose from the ground.
This guy had a lot of power.
Fury flared. Michael sent more power into the earth, feeling his way through the soil. He picked three at random. The earth loosened and the trees began to fall.
The gun fired a third time.
This time Tyler shoved him sideways. They both crashed to the ground. Undergrowth swelled to offer cover. More trees fell, making the earth shake as they landed. The ground pulsed with power, with potential, and for the first time, Michael felt someone else’s Earth talent fighting against his.
It made him want to level this entire forest.
He pushed his fingers into the soil, stretching his abilities far and wide. He could bring every tree down. Trap anyone moving in undergrowth. Bury them alive if he wanted. Decompose the body before they’d even stopped breathing.
At one time, these thoughts would have terrified him.
Now, they reassured him.
The ground gave a small tremor, waiting for his order.
And then, for the first time, Michael felt malice through the earth. Footsteps. Someone moving toward them.
He told the trees to wait. “He’s on the ground,” he said to Tyler, his voice very soft.
